The Fantastic Four, often called Marvel’s First Family, weren’t able to appear in Marvel Cinematic Universe films until Disney bought 20th Century Fox. This finally allowed Marvel to use the characters Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (Human Torch), and Ben Grimm (the Thing). The result was The Fantastic Four: First Steps in 2025, which is considered the most faithful adaptation of the team from the comic books.
The movie First Steps was a hit with both critics (86%) and audiences (90%) – a significant improvement over previous Fantastic Four films. However, its success also continued a worrying pattern that began in 2022. Every Marvel Cinematic Universe project featuring the Fantastic Four has included the death of at least one team member, and if the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday repeats this, it could negatively impact a beloved Marvel character.
The Fantastic Four Have Been the MCU’s Punching Bags
Although many consider their official introduction still to come, the Fantastic Four actually appeared briefly in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. John Krasinski played a version of Reed Richards from another universe, alongside other heroes like Captain Carter and Captain Marvel. Sadly, like the rest of the group, he was killed by the Scarlet Witch as she desperately searched for her children across different realities.
In Deadpool & Wolverine, we’ll see Johnny Storm, as he appeared in the 2005 Fantastic Four movie. This version of Johnny was killed by Cassandra Nova in a strange dimension after Deadpool let slip that he’d spoken badly about her. First Steps successfully introduced the whole Fantastic Four team into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but even that couldn’t prevent another team member from dying.
In the climactic battle of First Steps, Sue Storm stretched her abilities to the breaking point to banish Galactus through a portal, which sadly resulted in her death. Fortunately, unlike other deaths within the Fantastic Four’s MCU storyline, this one wasn’t permanent. However, it continued the pattern of Fantastic Four members facing fatal consequences.
While a couple of instances could have been chalked up to chance, the fact that it’s happened three times suggests a deliberate trend: the Marvel Cinematic Universe seems to be repeatedly killing off the Fantastic Four whenever they appear. There are a few possible reasons for this. The Fantastic Four are well-known and powerful characters, so putting them in serious danger instantly makes any story more exciting and impactful.
This group of heroes is particularly close-knit, making the loss of any member especially painful. Based on current story trends, it seems likely that Ben will die in the upcoming issue, which is titled Doomsday.
The Thing Will Have an Important Role in Avengers: Doomsday
As a huge Marvel fan, I’ve been following the Doomsday trailers closely, and it’s interesting to me that Ben Grimm, the Thing, is the only member of the Fantastic Four we’ve seen in any of the promotional material so far. The latest teaser showed him having a meeting out in the desert, which really suggests he’s going to be a key player in the story. Honestly, I think it would be a huge mistake to kill off Ben in this movie. It would really hurt the Fantastic Four’s potential future in the MCU, and the MCU as a whole, I think.
As a big Fantastic Four fan, I’m really worried about Ben Grimm. If they kill him off, even temporarily, it would just feel like a repeat of what they did with Sue Storm in First Steps. But honestly, a permanent death would be a huge mistake! Ben is, in my opinion, the most interesting member of the team. His whole story – being the Thing, dealing with that monstrous transformation – adds a real tragic depth that the others don’t have. Plus, his relationship with Alicia Masters is genuinely touching, and I’d love to see that explored further. There’s so much potential there, and it would be a waste to cut his story short.
Removing a well-loved character can create a powerful emotional impact, but it means losing all the possibilities for their future story. For example, Iron Man’s death in Avengers: Endgame felt right because his story had already reached a natural conclusion. However, some fans felt that a different character’s death in the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a missed opportunity to explore further storylines.
Kevin Feige has hinted at what will happen after Avengers: Secret Wars, but with the recent success and fresh start of First Steps, the Fantastic Four will probably keep their current team. There are still many classic Fantastic Four stories the MCU can use, and it would be disappointing if those stories didn’t include the Thing.
Found an error? Send it so it can be corrected.
Read More
- All Golden Ball Locations in Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties
- All Itzaland Animal Locations in Infinity Nikki
- NBA 2K26 Season 5 Adds College Themed Content
- Elder Scrolls 6 Has to Overcome an RPG Problem That Bethesda Has Made With Recent Games
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Brent Oil Forecast
- Super Animal Royale: All Mole Transportation Network Locations Guide
- BREAKING: Paramount Counters Netflix With $108B Hostile Takeover Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
- Unlocking the Jaunty Bundle in Nightingale: What You Need to Know!
- Critics Say Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 Is a Clunker
2026-02-21 02:10